One week after Georgia lawmakers removed a crucial tax break for Delta Airlines, Facebook announced that it is coming to the Peach State. Wednesday’s announcement was confirmed by Gov. Nathan Deal.
Facebook will build a $750 million data center in Newton County, about 45 miles (east of downtown Atlanta. The Menlo Park, California-based company has been added to its data capabilities with a string of data centers around the nation.
The data center, which will be located in Stanton Springs, is expected to bring about 100 jobs to Newton by the time in opens in 2020. The company says the campus will be 100 percent renewable energy.
“Georgia’s business-friendly climate and world-class technological infrastructure continue to attract innovative companies like Facebook,” said Deal. “It is fitting that the No. 1 company in the world in terms of active users has chosen the No. 1 state for business for this project. We appreciate Facebook’s leadership for recognizing Georgia as a state that serves not only as a major hub for general business, but also as a place where tech firms can be successful in the future. This project represents a significant investment and will create meaningful opportunities for the surrounding community. We welcome Facebook to Georgia and look forward to the growth of this partnership.”
About $2.5 billion will be invested in infrastructure improvements and equipment through 2029, according to the Atlanta Business Chronicle, which first reported the story.